EP 0 581 491 A describes a liquid dispenser which includes a hygienic delivery system for delivering water or other potable liquid from an inverted container to a reservoir in which the liquid is heated or cooled before passing to a discharge outlet. The dispenser is used with inverted containers having a depending neck which is closed by a cap having an internal sleeve sealed by an inner plug. When the container is placed onto the equipment a feed tube sealably enters the sleeve to provide a flow path from the container to the reservoir. A high level of hygiene can be maintained by forming the feed tube as part of a removable unit which can be periodically discarded and replaced together with the reservoir and the interconnecting tubing.
In such systems the containers are supplied with a seal covering the sleeve into which the feed tube is to be inserted. This prevents dirt from collecting in the recess formed by the sleeve prior to use, which would otherwise be introduced into the container and contaminate the contents. The seal is formed by a thin sheet of material which is adhesively secured to the cap and provided with a tab by which the seal can be pulled off the cap immediately prior to use. However, the seal is formed of a frangible material and users often leave the seal in place since it is easily ruptured by the feed tube. This may lead to pieces of the seal becoming detached, which can lodge between the feed tube and the sleeve resulting in an inadequate seal and consequent leakage problems. Pieces of the seal may also enter the container which not only looks unsightly but may also contaminate the contents causing taste and hygiene problems. Furthermore, the pieces of seal can block the water passages or adhere to the inside of the empty container, making them difficult to clean effectively prior to re-filling.
The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of feed tube which overcomes these problems.